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FSU, FAMU celebrate IT partnership

Doug Blackburn, Tallahassee Democrat
2:05 p.m. EDT August 11, 2014

Officials pose with oversized checks at a press conference to celebrate an information technology grant partnership between FAMU and FSU held Monday at the Challenger Learncing Center.
(Photo:
Michael Schwarz/Special to the Democrat
)

Florida is struggling to keep up with the demand for individuals with computer-related skills.

Larry Dennis, dean of Florida State University’s College of Communication and Information, said the state will need to fill more than 50,000 computer science and information technology positions during the next decade.

That helps explain why Dennis and Maurice Edington, dean of the College of Science and Technology at Florida A&M, created an irresistible team when the Board of Governors was deciding which collaborative efforts to fund with $15 million earmarked by the Legislature in 2013.

Their partnership, called the Targeted Educational Attainment program, or TEAm, was awarded $3 million in March and was held out as a model of university collaboration during a gathering Monday at the Challenger Learning Center.

Their goal, Dennis and Edingtron told State University System Chancellor Marshall Criser III and a gathering of BOG members and elected officials, is to develop pipelines with the K-12 system for the next generation of students majoring in computer science, information technology and computer engineering. They’re calling their effort the Florida Information Technology Career alliance.

“It’s in our best interests to ensure that most of the great young talent remains in Florida to help Florida’s economy,” Dennis said.

FAMU President Elmira Mangum described the collaboration between her university and FSU as a “highly beneficial partnership. It’s already making a positive difference for our region and our state,” she added.

FSU hosted 30 K-12 educators last month to begin rolling out their program. Dennis said FSU has set a goal of awarding 2,600 degrees in computer-related fields by 2018.

“To help us reach this goal we are building a regional network of academic and industry partners,” Dennis said. “This will also strengthen the ties between our two universities.”

Edington said the $3 million grant is already making a difference at FAMU. It’s providing for professional development for faculty and will give him the funds to add additional staff. The money is also being used to help set up internships for the university’s students.

Garnett Stokes, FSU’s interim president, touted her institution’s ongoing efforts in the area of economic development. The partnership with FAMU to foster interest in computer-related degrees – which will lead to good-paying jobs – is in line with FSU’s mission, Stokes added.

Look for more state-funded collaborations similar to the one developed between Tallahassee’s two universities. When the four grants were announced at BOG’s March meeting, BOG chair Mori Hosseini described them as the first wave.

"This is what we want from our universities," Hosseini said. "More and more, we are going to be encouraging them to work together and rewarding them when they do it well. This is the direction in which we're headed."